K9 Drago the paw-fect partner for Wood County deputy
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PARKERSBURG -- There's a new face at the Wood County Sheriff's Department. And a new tail and new paws to go with it.
K9 Drago joined Deputy Taylor Phillips in early November for six weeks of training. The two were certified in mid-December and the pair has been inseparable since.
"He loves to work," Phillips said about her partner.
Phillips has been a deputy for a year and spent three years as a state trooper. Joining the Wood County Sheriff's Department meant staying closer to home for her. "I grew up here and wanted to be nearby," she said. Ever since her career in law enforcement started, she wanted to be a K9 officer. "It has always been a goal. I thought it would be cool."
The duo trained together in drug work, which Phillips said was her learning how to read Drago's signals, while he can locate marijuana, meth, cocaine and heroin. Drago is also a certified patrol dog and can do handler protection, as well as article searches and apprehension -- whether that be looking for a suspect or looking for a lost person. "He does everything but bomb work," Phillips said.
Drago, who will be 3-years-old in April, is a German Shepherd straight from Germany. The commands Phillips speaks to him are in German. He had a brief stop in Russia, where he almost became a show dog. "They do shows differently there, he would have done all of the things he does now," she said.
Pine Grove Kennels in Tuppers Plains, Ohio, is where Drago and Phillips met. "They get to know the handler's personality, and what kind of dog suits me," Phillips said. "We tried 8-10 dogs out. He was picked just for me."
The almost 100-pound K9 loves to wear his patrol vest, Phillips said. "He knows he's going to work." Part of his work also involves training on a routine basis, both on his drug detecting skills and searches, and in his bite work. She said the bite work, involving bite suits and sleeves, is a big game to him. "I try to do something every day (for his training.) We also do official training every other week."
When Drago does drug work, his reward is a special toy -- a piece of fire hose that he can bite and tug on. "Some dogs get a tennis ball, he gets a fire hose," Phillips said. But his reward for his other work is something a bit more familiar to dogs. "For everything else, it's his Kong." She said its important for him to associate his special reward with the drug odor.
While barely beginning his law enforcement career, Drago has already had a big bust. On Jan. 19, he helped the Williamstown Police Department find heroin in a vehicle. He hasn't gotten a chance to do apprehension yet.
Drago is important to Phillips. "Everything revolves around him, his happiness is important," she said. While she patrols the interstate or U.S. 50, she also takes 911 calls. "I talk to him in the car like he's another person." Drago is ready when she needs to call upon him. "He sleeps in the back of the car and usually doesn't get too excited," she said. "He'll lay so his head is next to me. But when it's time to work, he's got a good switch."
Drago is a very social animal. "He likes other dogs," she said, though K9 Ogi isn't a big fan of him. He has a dog sibling at home, another German Shepherd, who is smaller than him. "When he gets home, he's another house dog. He's lazy and he wants to chill." She said he and her other dog have to be crated at night, "or otherwise they'd knock everything down" playing.
Phillips said Drago will probably work until he is around 8 or so. "Then he gets to retire and will live with me."
Drago is ready to protect and serve as he whines, waiting for her to take him to the car. "He's not spoiled at all," she said.